A vehicle impact may be simulated for the purpose of testing components of the vehicle such as seat mounts, seat components, seat belts, airbags, etc. For example, a vehicle rollover, a vehicle frontal impact, a vehicle side impact, etc., may be simulated. In the example of a vehicle rollover simulation, the vehicle, or a portion of the vehicle, such as the body-in-white, may be placed in a cage and the cage may be rolled to simulate a rollover. Specifically, the cage may be placed on a movable platform, which is moved along a track. Brakes are applied to abruptly stop the platform, at which time the cage rolls off of the platform and continues to roll to simulate a vehicle rollover. Such tests may be referred to as rollover component tests.
The cage allows for simulation of the vehicle rollover while preventing damage to the exterior of the vehicle during the simulation. Since the exterior of the vehicle is not damaged during the simulation of the vehicle rollover, the exterior of the vehicle, e.g., the body-in-white, may be re-used in repeated vehicle rollover simulations.
However, during an accidental vehicle rollover, portions of the exterior of the vehicle may deform. Since the cage protects the exterior of the vehicle during the vehicle rollover simulation, the rollover simulation in the cage does not simulate this exterior deformation. For example, the B-pillar of the vehicle, which supports a D-ring of a front seat belt, may deform during an accidental rollover. This deformation of the B-pillar during the rollover moves the D-ring of the front seat belt. As such, this aspect of the operation of the front seat belt is not portrayed during the rollover simulation in the cage.
In the example, of a vehicle frontal impact, the vehicle, or a portion of the vehicle, such as the body-in-white, may be placed in a cage on a sled buck. The sled buck may be accelerated and decelerated to simulate a vehicle frontal impact. The use of the cage and the sled buck allows the vehicle frontal impact to be simulated without damaging a vehicle.